Coolmore add dual Classic hero Capri to National Hunt roster at Grange Stud

Capri, the dual Classic-winning son of Galileo, has been retired from racing and will take up stallion duty under the Coolmore National Hunt banner at Grange Stud in County Cork for the 2020 breeding season.

"Capri is a fine big horse with a good head and a great walk," said stud manager Albert Sherwood. "He was a very high-class two-year-old and defeated all the best middle-distance colts of his generation as a three-year-old before again showing high-class form at four.

"We couldn't be more delighted that he’s coming to Grange."

Trained by Aidan O'Brien and raced by the Coolmore partners, Capri won six of his 23 starts in a racing career that spanned four seasons. He was precocious enough to open his account in July of his two-year-old campaign when he saw off subsequent Melbourne Cup hero Rekindling during the Galway festival.

Less than a week later he showed his inherent class when he dropped back to seven and a half furlongs to effortlessly land a Listed event, before he went on to claim the Group 2 Beresford Stakes at the Curragh.

Capri progressed markedly at three and showed some notably strong form during a Classic campaign that yielded a brace of Group 1 wins. In winning the Irish Derby he tenaciously saw off four-time Group 1 winner Cracksman, Derby hero Wings Of Eagles and this year's Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe victor Waldgeist.

Capri (grey) fends off Crystal Ocean (left) and Stradivarius (white blaze) in the St LegerCredit: Alan Crowhurst

He backed up that achievement when he performed the rare feat of denying both Crystal Ocean and champion stayer Stradivarius to land the St Leger.

At four he added the Group 3 Alleged Stakes over a mile and a quarter to his race record, and later finished a close fifth behind Enable in the Arc.

Bred by Lynch Bages and Camas Park Stud, Capri is out of Dialafara, an Aga Khan-bred daughter of Anabaa, making him a full-brother to four winners, including Group 3 Loughbrown Stakes scorer Cypress Creek.

His second dam is the Group 2 Prix de Malleret winner and Group 1-placed Diamilina, a daughter of Linamix and sibling to the high-class Diamond Green and Group 3-winning Diamonixa.

Capri will stand alongside the likes of Getaway, Milan and Walk In The Park at Grange Stud. Fees for the new recruit and Coolmore's other National Hunt sires will be released in due course.

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